Rail-joint.



G. K. PONDER & J. SHOOK.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1908.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

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93% Mano ml d w. em

UNITED STATES PATENT UFFICE.

GARFIELD K. PONDER AND JOHN SHOOK, OF FAUST, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNORS OF ONE- NINTH TO H. D. WALDRUP AND TWO-NINTHS TO B. C. PETERSON, BOTH OF FAUST, NORTH CAROLINA.

RAIL- JOINT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GARFIELD K. PON- DER and JOHN SHooK, citizens of the United States, residing at Faust, in the county of Madison and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in rail joints, and the object is to provide a means of effectually withstanding the strain to which rails are subjected at their joints due to the Weight and speed of the rolling stock almost constantly passing over them.

l/Vith these objects in view this invention consists in a pair of plates which embrace the webs and base flanges of the rails on oppo site sides with means for sustaining the weight as near as possible from a point directly beneath or the central axis of the weight, thereby jacking the ends of the rails up as it were from a point directly beneath the load to be sustained under the tread as well as the base, thereby equalizing the strain at a point which otherwise would be weaker than the remaining portion of the rail.

Our invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and combina tions of parts which will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings Figui-e 1 is a view in side elevation of the joint; Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 1 before the parts are drawn tightly together; and Fig. 4 is a similar section showing them rigidly bolted together.

The rails 1. and 2 are placed on the ties in the usual fashion and our improved joint comprising two curved plates 3 and 4 are adapted to conform as near as possible on their inner faces to the web of the rail. Integral with the lower edge of the plates 3 and 4 a support 5 is formed. This is approximately V-shaped, and on its upper edge is adapted to embrace the lower surface of the base reaching approximately to the center of the latter. Bolt holes 6, 6 are formed through the lower edges of the supports, and the bolts 7, 7 extending therethrough are provided with nuts 8, 8 whereby the lower edges of the supports are drawn toward each other for the purpose of clampl Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

Serial No. 438,246.

ing the upper edges of the supports securely against the lower surfaces of the base flanges in the direction of the central axis of the rails whereby to afford the greatest amount of rigidity and upward pressure at the point where the largest weight and pressure is sustained, thus making a rigid and substantial connection at the joint of the rail. This upward pressure may be increased by tightening the nuts thus crowding the upper inner edges of the supports upwardly with the desired pressure. This tightening up of the parts just described has a greater or less tendency to bow the plates out away from the outer edges of the rail bases and consequently to draw the plates downwardly away from the tread of the rail and creating an undistributed amount of strain upon the bolts 10, 10, which pass through the plates and rail webs. We are able to counteract this tendency by the bolts 12, 12 which extend through orifices 13, 13 in the lugs 14, 14 in front and rear of the support. By screwing the nuts up tight on these bolts 12, 12 the plates are drawn toward each other at this point where they embrace the outer edges of the rail base, and by so doing the relation of the upper edges of the plates against the lower surfaces of the rail treads is maintained, and the strain which would otherwise be sustained by the bolts 10, 10 is removed.

From the foregoing it will be seen that we are enabled by our improved rail joint to reinforce the ends of the rails where they are joined, from beneath, and to apply upward sustaining pressure at the points where the rails are subjected to the greatest amount of weight and pressure, namely, through the central axis from the base upwardly and beneath the treads on either side of the webs, thus making a rigid and substantial rail joint which will sustain the ar and punish ment resulting from the constant travel of heavy rolling stock over them.

It may be mentioned that the lugs 14 are so placed that they rest between two ties, thus having the function of an anti-creeper to counteract the tendency of the rails to creep.

More or less slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention,

and hence we do not wish to be limited to the eXact construction herein set forth, but

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is:

A rail joint comprising two plates adapted to embrace. the webs, treads and bases of the rails and provided with solid V-shaped supports extending beneath the lower surfaces of the bases, means for securing the plates to the webs of the rails, means for drawing the lower ends of the supports toward each other, and means for drawing the lower edges of the plates at points opposite the outer edges of the bases toward each other.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures, in the presence of two witnesses.

GARFIELD K. PONDER. Witnesses HERBERT C. EMERY, DEMON E, HoDGEs.

JOHN SHOOK.

Witnesses:

J. E. LARUs, EDGAR BRYAN. 

